Safety: When the weather is nice, it's good to have a barbecue in the park, but there are a few things to bear in mind. You must keep enough distance from trees and shrubs so that there is no fire hazard in dry conditions. The barbecue should always be placed firmly on the ground so that hot ashes or charcoal do not fall onto the ground or nearby plants. You should always note where you are allowed to barbecue and that you leave the area as clean as you found it. You can usually find barbecue areas and fireplaces on the website of your town or municipality. When barbecuing in the park, it is helpful to bring your own rubbish bags or metal containers for any leftover charcoal that has not quite cooled down. This way everything can be disposed of in a very efficient way. Also, take a water bottle with you as a precaution in case you want to extinguish the barbecue early.
Lighting the barbecue properly: If the barbecue just won't light up, it's easy to lose patience. But with practical tools, the whole thing is hardly a challenge anymore. With a barbecue fan, you can simply turn the crank to light the barbecue fire and get the barbecue going faster. The air blower is a great companion and particularly lightweight. If you first need to ignite the charcoal and get it hot quickly, a charcoal chimney starter is a good choice. To speed up your barbecue experience, light fire cubes or newspaper and place the charcoal starter with charcoal or briquettes on top. The vertical airflow heats the coal evenly and significantly faster. Spread the glowing charcoal on the grill and heat your barbecue in less than 20 minutes. Of course, this can then be combined with the grill air blower again.
Proper cleaning: When cleaning a barbecue, three lifesavers make the job a breeze. First Tip: It is best to clean the grill when it is off but still hot so that nothing can dry out. As a cleaning agent, you can use a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice, which you apply to the grate before scrubbing. You should clean your grill thoroughly with a grill brush, which can remove even the most stubborn dirt from your grate. Since it is particularly long, you won't burn yourself on the hot grill, but it will shine just as beautifully as before.
Heat zones: If you want to grill, you have to know which grilled food needs which type of heat. Thin meat tends to need short, direct heat, whereas other dishes prefer it longer and less hot. To achieve a perfect result for all dishes, you should set up specific heat zones right from the start. You can achieve this by piling up more charcoal for direct and strong heat and a shallower layer for lower, weaker heat. This way, all foods are fried just right. The general rule of thumb when barbecuing is steaks first, then sausages, then vegetables and finally cheese.
Herbs: For a special touch to the grilled food, you can throw herbs directly into the embers. Rosemary, thyme or juniper twigs are particularly suitable for this. To prevent the herbs from burning too quickly, soak them in water beforehand. With a gas barbecue, an aluminium bowl with a little water and the herbs can alternatively also be placed on the burner.
Recipes: However, tasty herbs are not all that is needed for delicious barbecues. In addition to the classic steaks and grilled cheese dishes, you can also serve delicious skewers, dips, marinades and desserts on the garden table. You can find out more in our recipe posts below.
